Frozen Blossoms
by Revalations
Summary: There's no one to blame for her death. She died of a disease...right?
1. Impressions

It was strange, that this place was so cold.

Even when the fires were roaring in their grates, or when blankets were piled with their pillows, shivers still took the place of a warm comfort. Of course, these things wouldn't help anyway; it was on the inside that everything was so cold. A deep winter, so frigid and frozen, and it hadn't let up for nearly fifty years.

It was sad, really. This man had everything- a large manor with possibly larger grounds around it; Nobility, though not only that, he was the head of one of the four great noble families; title of Captain in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; servants, money, even a breathtaking countenance was his (according to the collective female population, anyway).

Still, Byakuya Kuchiki felt cold, despite all of these comforts he was handed since he was born.

-+-

Servants bowed low, almost touching their foreheads to the ground when he passed them. Byakuya, however, paid them no attention; his mind was elsewhere, away from his manor and his servants, away even from the elders of his clan. When he was gone, the attendants got up and looked at each other with knowing glances and matching frowns, whether from worry or disapproval, it was unclear.

These servants knew where their lord was going. He was going to see _her_ again…or rather, her memory; for she was long dead and gone now.

It was common knowledge in the Kuchiki house that this was one of Byakuya's rituals that he did not miss. It was sporadic sometimes, but there was normally some rhyme or reason to his actions. Whatever the cause, when the head of this house went to her shrine, he would be there anywhere from ten minutes to almost a whole day- it was madness in most eyes.

Regardless, Byakuya made his way through his mansion and to her shrine, sliding the doors closed behind him. After lighting and placing several sticks of incense, he kneeled and bowed his head before the last remaining piece of his beloved he had left- a photo. It was a picture of nostalgia for Byakuya, though he wished he had a better momentum of her. It was a beautiful picture of the late mistress (then again, everything about her was beautiful to him), but it was almost a contradiction of her personality. The almost sad smile that graced her features was…unusual, he supposed. How he wished she would tease him with that usual conceited smirk she would wear, or perhaps greet him with the actual genuine smile she reserved only for those she was incredibly close to.

Coming to her shrine was bittersweet at most. He felt he must seek her guidance, her permission, an answer to a seemingly impossible question or situation… But what he did most was beg her forgiveness, over and over and over again. He was sorry for not being there enough for her, sorry for not caring enough, sorry for not paying enough attention to her, sorry for appearing so cold to her, sorry he wasn't strong or smart enough to save her…the list goes on.

Byakuya was depressed, but also angry at her death. He was so furious sometimes his spiritual pressure made those at his manor cower in fear. There was no reason for it- it was a disease. There was no physical being that the blame could rest on. Nothing Byakuya could take revenge on, nothing he could have done but sit silently and watch his wife erode until she was gone. There was no cure, after all.

His brow furrowed at this thought.

"No cure…what was it called again?" Byakuya muttered to himself.

He opened his eyes and lifted his head, and looked but didn't see her picture smiling down on him. He couldn't even remember the name of the disease. But Unohana herself had said that there was nothing she could do. And if a captain-level doctor said there was nothing to be done, then that was it…

Right?

Maybe not.

Scarf swaying, Byakuya stood abruptly, bowed quietly and muttered a farewell before putting out the incense and leaving his wife's shrine.

A brisk pace was a bit of an understatement to describe Byakuya's gait- he was trying not to run to the vast library where his wife's medical records were kept. A strange feeling was welling up inside of him, and then what could only be rational thought appeared in his head.

What should he do? Go gallivanting off trying to see if anything could have been done to save his wife? Try to prove that someone could be guilty for causing her death? No, this was stupid. It had been over fifty years…why would there be any difference now?

But maybe there was something…the subject had been too sore for him to properly look in to before. It hadn't even entered his head that there might have been foul play involved. Something might be irregular, something might have been just so that went unnoticed before, but he could see now…

Byakuya stopped, putting a hand to the bridge of his nose, eyes closed tight. He stood there like that for a few moments, trying to sort his thoughts and figure out what to do.

Finally, he stood straight, and sighed, eyes still closed but a bit more loosely. They opened, and the gray irises pleaded up to the clouds.

"Hisana…what would you have me do?"

-+-

A/N: Hey there, what's up? I thought I'd try my hand at a ByakuHisa fic. I love this fandom, it's so cute. This one's short cause it's the prelude, but chapters will be longer and have more dialogue…so no worries there. And just so you know, reviews rock my world.

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I probably ever own Bleach or any of its characters. (I just manipulate them for my own enjoyment. :D)

xoxo/Revalations


	2. Suspicions

Why would hope be introduced to the heart, only to be snatched away so quickly that one would wonder if it was really there at all?

This was the question, and indeed Byakuya pondered it for quite some time. He stood in one of the great gardens that the Kuchiki manor boasted of, head slightly back and eyes rolled towards the heavens. The only words that could describe this man's mental state were chaos, or perhaps anarchy. He fought against the urge to know the truth, and the instinct to protect himself from any further emotional blows.

One of his hands rested against a low-rising wall, not really holding his weight, but rather just doing something to feel useful. His posture was not as straight as one might think of a noble, and he was fidgeting- one might have even thought he was cold and shivering for how little control he had of his body at the moment.

So immersed was he that Byakuya didn't even hear the soft padding of feet that subtly announced the approach of a servant.

"Milord…please forgive my intrusion, but you wished to be informed of Lady Rukia's return," the young man said in a quiet, almost certainly frightened voice.

A flinch was successfully avoided by this abrupt disturbance, but it still gave Byakuya's thoughts a jump. He scolded himself for letting his mind get so far away, then nodded at the servant and dismissed him.

Byakuya clenched his jaw tightly, and closed his eyes once more. This issue would have to be put aside for now. He would think more on it later, when he would be truly alone and not have to worry about pesky interruptions.

-+-

"Brother," Rukia said, a small smile on her lips as she bowed politely.

"Rukia," Byakuya acknowledged with a slight incline of his head in return. "How was your stay in the world of the living this time?"

Rukia shrugged her shoulders, trying to give off an air that was nonchalant. "It was okay. Nothing of great importance took place."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed as he looked into her purple irises. This in turn caused Rukia's eyes to widen slightly, and a slight blush graced her cheeks as she turned away- thus confirming his suspicions. A thin black eyebrow rose.

"Nothing? That would seem impossible, what with Kurosaki around," Byakuya said, a hint of a threat in his voice.

Rukia still did not meet his gaze. "There were several hollow attacks, but nothing you would find profoundly interesting, brother," she mumbled slightly.

Closing his eyes, Byakuya merely let out a soft grunt to signify he was done with the conversation. "Good night, Rukia."

"And you, brother."

His eyes followed her down the hall, until she turned the corner and was out of sight. She looked much like her sister had…so much so, it was dangerous for Byakuya to think about Hisana while Rukia was in the immediate vicinity. That always had a nasty outcome…a small shudder threatened to run up Byakuya's spine, but he dismissed it and walked in the opposite direction that his adoptive sister had, intent on a long evening of difficult decision-making.

-+-

When all was set and he was ready to retire for the night, Byakuya lay propped up against numerous plush pillows and began his battle with himself.

His face was completely calm, with eyes closed loosely and mouth lax. He must look at the issue rationally, and being tense would not help him at all. So he lay for a very long time, his breathing slowing so it appeared he was sleeping.

Finally, his eyes opened and a determined glint was present within them. He had come to the conclusion that no matter how much it may hurt him, or how much he may find he didn't want to know, he had to find out if Hisana's death was really just a poorly timed disease or if there was more to it than there originally seemed.

His arms were already getting ready to shift his weight to get up when he glanced over to a candle the servant had lit before leaving. The wick was about to drown in a puddle of wax, and the body of the candle was gone. If the candle was already gone, then it must be quite late…and anything that would hold information he may need would not be accessible until morning.

Now that Byakuya had finally reached his decision, it seemed unfair that he would have to wait to get his answers.

Sighing loudly to himself, Byakuya lay back down and relaxed, resigning himself to wait until dawn broke once again. He didn't mind as much as he thought he might; he would just have to do with filling his thoughts and dreams of his lost love for now.

-+-

"_Byakuya…don't you ever get tired of acting so stiff all the time?"_

_Her tone was rough and sarcastic, but her eyes were full of sincere questions._

_An eyebrow rose. "How can I be tired of being who I am? It is how I was brought up to be."_

_She only smiled, looking over the grassy hills, dotted with flowers here and there. "I'm not questioning who you are, just the snooty 'I-don't-care' act you put up as a front to hide what you're really thinking."_

_She turned to him with that same smile, and it only grew brighter when she saw the surprise reflecting in his eyes._

_He looked away, and she still kept her smile, resting her head against his shoulder as they sat overlooking the landscape…_

-+-

It was bright outside the windows, and Byakuya was rudely awoken when the rays of the sun decided to rest themselves over his eyes. Though he was a noble of the highest class, even the great Byakuya Kuchiki was groggy in the mornings.

He was still half-asleep, believing that the deceiving images in his dreams were reality, as he reached an arm over to touch his wife. His eyes instantly sharpened and his mind cleared when his hand only touched cool sheets, and he realized what he had done. His arm slowly came back to his side and his head declined as he sat up.

Byakuya didn't bother moving for several moments as the harsh, real reality was remembered. When he raised his head, eyes staring blankly at the walls around him, he knew that he had to search for the cause of her death. He had to know what really happened to Hisana, and nobody was going to stand in his way and survive to see another day.

With this thought in mind, he was quickly dressed and on his way to the great library of medical records that the Fourth Division held. He had decided that stealth, for the time being, would be essential. Having people wonder and speculate about what he was doing would not be beneficial at all. So Byakuya walked over to the building he sought, drowning the urge to shunpo and get there many times faster; his usual cold demeanor was in his attitude and showing on his face.

"Good morning, Captain Kuchiki," several lower officers crowed when he brushed by. He barely acknowledged them at all.

When he finally made it up to the Fourth Division, Byakuya entered without a thought and walked down the hallways that he (unfortunately) knew very well. He was about to enter the library of records when a shout made its way to him.

"Oh, Captain Kuchiki! What are you doing here? Can I help you?"

Byakuya put aside his annoyance and turned around, all the while telling himself that he cannot act suspicious, must not be suspicious…

"Lieutenant Kotetsu. I believe I am doing well enough on my own," Byakuya replied coldly.

"Oh…okay, sorry for the interruption then, I guess, heheh…"

Byakuya merely raised an eyebrow, turned and opened the door to the room that held the answers he sought.

The library was enormous- so large, it seemed like it could be a labyrinth of bookshelves. Though it was a bit daunting, Byakuya plunged forward with a determined air about him.

-+-

After quite a while of searching, Byakuya was becoming frustrated. Yes, there was a system of organization, but it seemed the records that he himself had seen before had vanished. Needless to say, this did not improve Byakuya's quickly souring mood.

"Ah, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya jumped. His eyes were wide and his hand was on Senbonzakura's hilt before the voice registered in is head.

"Captain Unohana…"

He looked back at the Captain of the Fourth Division, hand easing away from his sword, and his posture relaxing. He really needed to stop letting his guard down so often. People would start thinking he was getting rusty. But of course, this is what Hisana had always done to him… Byakuya's eyes closed before that thought finished, and he was back in the present.

"Do you need something, Captain?" Byakuya asked, swallowing the annoyance that tried to show in his voice.

Unohana had that knowing smile on her face. "I believe it is you who needs something, Captain Kuchiki. Why else would you sneak down to our records library without telling anybody else?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. He should have known it was too easy to be true. She obviously knew something was off, and it wouldn't take her long to figure out what he was looking for, judging by the section he was in…

"Yes…I was looking up my wife's medical records," he said in a low tone.

Unohana looked surprised by this. "Oh? Whatever would you need those for?"

Byakuya sighed. "I just wanted to see something. Unfortunately, they aren't where they should be; do you know where they could have been misplaced?"

Unohana's eyes narrowed. "Let me see that, please," she said in a slightly more commanding voice, gesturing at the large book Byakuya had in his hands. Gray eyes were full of confusion as he nonetheless handed the book over to the other captain.

Once Unohana had gotten the book, her face fell further into a deep frown.

"What is the matter?" Byakuya inquired, not quite concealing the curiosity and anxiety in his voice.

"Nobody but a member of my squad can remove these pages. And there are definitely pages missing. But who would have done such a thing, and why…?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. That was beyond suspicious.

"I'm sorry, Captain Unohana, but I think I will take my leave. Please do let me know if you find anything out about those missing pages," Byakuya said, inclining his head slightly in respect before starting to leave.

"Captain Kuchiki?"

Byakuya stopped, looking back over to his fellow captain.

"What are you really looking for?" she asked, her eyes full of sincerity and concern.

Byakuya turned back to the door. "I'm not so sure Hisana died of an illness."

Unohana frowned. "Excuse me?"

Byakuya gave her a view of his profile before he answered, "I think that this irregularity in the records is not a petty mistake; I think it confirms that the 'illness' façade was a cover-up for something more sinister. I think somebody murdered my wife."

-+-

Byakuya returned to his mansion, intent on deciding what to do next. It was definitely not in his plans to have been caught, though Unohana did have that helpful fact about the missing pages. Though he'd rather not have had anybody find out what he was up to (in fact he was almost angry with himself that he'd let it loose), he supposed Unohana was a most trustworthy person to have in on his investigation.

He entered his study and sipped at the tea a servant had brought in, trying to figure out just how he should go about uncovering the truth. But he'd hit a dead end; with no information about her predicament, and no further leads on what to look for, Byakuya had nothing else to chase.

A disgusted sigh left his mouth, and he set the teacup on its tray more forcefully than was necessary. He stayed in this position for a few minutes, bent over in a very un-noble manner, head in his hands, before a thought came to him.

Perhaps…records were not the only thing that held history in them. Perhaps memories of her…of Hisana…would help him. Anything he might remember could be of utmost importance. Some little sign he missed, a phrase she had said to him could have had a double meaning he hadn't caught…

And suddenly, Byakuya knew that he would have to delve through the pain that the memories of his late wife always brought him. He would have to remember as much of her as he could…even though it might hurt more than any physical damage could.

"…Hisana, what happened to you?"

-+-

A/N: Homg, that chapter did NOT want to be written. xD

Thanks to Dakoru, Sakurapetals, Bluishorbs, twilightlvr5 and Twilight Countess for your beautiful reviews and encouraging comments.

xoxo/Revalations


	3. Deductions

A/N: Whoo we're in a series flashback chapters, and prolly will be for a while, if my plans work out the way I see them now. :D

-+-

Byakuya was walking steadily down one of the streets of Rukongai- which district he treaded in was unclear; it was definitely lacking in any sort of class, however. Dirt was clinging to everything and everyone, and you could almost taste the thieves' intent to steal from anybody looking like they had anything of any value.

Letting out a brash sigh through his nose, Byakuya Kuchiki, heir to the Head of the Kuchiki Clan, kept his pace. It was unfortunate that he had to walk through this part of the town, but there was no other way to the river. To use shunpo would be most unwise as well, because the commoners' lust for valuables outweighed their instinct of self preservation, and Soul Reapers always had money on them…

Byakuya shifted the long cloak disguising his identity as one of the Soul Reapers off the ground, uncomfortable in something so…_cheap_. This, however, he told himself, was a small price to pay for a nice evening walk.

The times when Byakuya chose to take his evening walks outside of the Seireitei were few and far between. He didn't quite despise Rukongai- after all, it's not like they chose to be there- but he disliked their complete lack of any civility. They were human souls, not animals. Had they no pride?

When finally he reached the cover of the small forest that held the river he sought, Byakuya slowed his pace to a comfortable, slow stride. At this point, anybody who was even an acquaintance of Byakuya knew that trying to get his attention was a lost cause. He was locked up inside of his own head, and let his troubled thoughts run loose.

Right now the issue was his family. The whole clan was subtly trying to get him to choose a wife, and soon. It was only tradition to have a suitable wife before you were named Head of a noble family. This rather annoyed Byakuya, but what was worse was that he knew that they were going to choose one for him if he tarried too long. Best to choose the best of the worst, if it came to that, he thought, rather than having it decided for him.

He was pulled slightly from his thoughts by the sound of the river; a calming, soothing sound of water moving quietly towards a larger body of the same, where it could finally rest. Byakuya looked toward the brook, almost smiling at how he wished his life could be as simple as this river's.

Just as he faced forward again, something ran into him. He looked down, surprise in his eyes and mouth open a bit.

A small girl…no, she was a young woman, lay crumpled on the ground, getting up slowly. There was a loaf of bread cradled in one of her arms.

"Owwww, that hurt…"

Byakuya, ever the gentleman, was about to offer to help her up, when shouts were heard quite closely.

"Come out 'ere, ya stupid bitch!"

"Ya think ya can steal from hard workin' men and get away wit it?"

"We're gonna find ya, and teach ya a lesson ya won't forget in the mornin'…"

Immediately this small woman was on her feet, her eyebrows pricked up a bit in fear. She looked to Byakuya, eyes wide. His hand was still halfway stretched toward her, but he was frozen. Her eyes were wide, and even in the half moonlight, Byakuya could tell that they were a startling shade of blue.

"Help me," she whispered, rushing forward and clinging to him. Byakuya was speechless, still shocked by the fact that this woman had run into him. However, before he knew it, she had dived under his billowing cloak and was holding onto him tightly just as the three owners of the shouting voices appeared by the river bank.

One of them looked over and saw Byakuya standing nearby.

"Oi, 'ave you seen a tiny girl, carryin' stolen goods?" he called over.

Byakuya blinked, then shook his head, careful not to move too much, lest he show that he was shielding the petite woman underneath his cloak. It was a big cloak, but not so big that it could mask her presence…

"Oh yeah? Well she was comin' this way…ya sure ya ain't seen 'er?" This ugly man was becoming quite the annoyance.

"Incredibly so," Byakuya said blandly, a cold glare fixed upon his countenance.

"Eh? You ain't from 'round here, are ya? Ya gots anythin' worth havin'?" asked another of the thugs. Byakuya's eyes narrowed.

"You would do well to leave now," Byakuya said quietly, his eyes blazing.

Unknowingly, Byakuya had shifted just such that the woman he was guarding was put into view of the men chasing her.

"Hey! There she is!" the other one shouted, making one of Byakuya's eyes twitch in frustration. He never went anywhere without his zanpaku-to, but he disliked pulling it out for such trifling deeds.

Disregarding this, he pulled Senbonzakura out of her sheath, and brandished her cool silver metal to the night, daring the miscreants to come closer. "You don't understand. I have no qualms with ending your miserable lives."

The creep in the middle, the one who seemed to be in charge, raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Oh, a Soul Reaper, are ya? Well then, let's see whatcha got, huh?" He motioned for his lackeys to move forward.

They looked at each other for a moment, wondering if it was wise to challenge a determined Soul Reaper…but then decided it was better than facing their boss's wrath. So forward they charged, arms swinging and growls uttered.

All of a sudden they stopped, and Byakuya was nowhere to be seen. The small woman gave a shrill cry a few seconds later when she realized she was unprotected, and fled back to the shelter of the trees.

Moments later, the burly men were on the ground in several pieces, and Senbonzakura's blade was pressed against the leader's throat. He had the memory of a smirk still on his face, before he realized his men had been defeated.

"Wha…wha…?" he blubbered, unsure of what had just taken place.

"You are scum lower than the dirt I walk upon, and you are not worthy of a death by my blade. For that reason alone, you are allowed your life," Byakuya growled, soundlessly sheathing his sword and turning on the spot, ignoring the sounds of the thug running noisily back where he came from. When he looked back over to where he left the small woman with the blue eyes, he hissed out a breath when he saw she was no longer there.

His gray eyes rolled up to the tops of the canopies of the trees that surrounded him, in mourning for his midnight stroll. He was suddenly feeling very exhausted, and just wanted to have a nice hot bath, and relax into clean, soft sheets for the night.

Byakuya was about halfway back to his manor when he realized that the small pouch of money he kept on him, just in case, was missing. He blinked several times, before narrowing his weary eyes and cursing that small woman. He knew now that she was anything but frail and afraid- she had tricked him to see if he had anything worth stealing. And she had succeeded.

-+-

Several days after the incident in the Rukon districts, Byakuya was sitting in on yet another family meeting. They went over the same old things over and over again once a week, and the heir to all of this extremely interesting information was sitting quietly to the right of his grandfather, who was currently the Head of the House of Kuchiki.

Byakuya's face showed how much enthusiasm he had to contain. His eyes were glazed over, and his chin rested in his hand. Occasionally he blew up into the strands of hair that just wouldn't be controlled, and yet they still rested between his eyes.

"And you, Byakuya?"

Gray eyes widened, and Byakuya quickly sat up straight, poise forgotten as he realized he had been addressed by Ginrei Kuchiki.

"Ah…excuse me, grandfather?"

Ginrei's eyes narrowed, and an eyebrow raised. "Really, Byakuya, you should be more interested in matters that concern your extended future, if nothing else."

"Forgive me, grandfather," Byakuya said quietly, embarrassment flushing his cheeks a light pink, as his eyes went to the cherry oak of the table he sat behind.

"I was asking your opinion on your marriage choice. There are several fine suitors…surely one of them has caught your eye?" Ginrei's eyes bored into Byakuya's, demanding an answer.

"No, I have not seen a woman worthy of such an entitlement," Byakuya retorted after a moment, and everyone noted the undertone of defiance in his statement.

A councilmember cleared his throat, leaning forward slightly. "Byakuya, sir…I do not mean to pressure you, but the time to make this decision grows short. Soon Lord Kuchiki will be handing you the title of Head of this clan, as you very well know. You must have a wife at this time, or the other nobles will talk, and that never bodes well for such a high-class family…"

Byakuya's eyes were full of disinterest as he stared the councilmember down, daring him to say more. He forced the smirk down when he saw the man shrink slightly back into his seat.

"I am not against marrying a fine woman," Byakuya said with an air of authority, "but I have yet to even lay eyes upon such a wonder."

Silence met with this statement.

Then, the sound of a quite series of chuckles was heard. Byakuya blinked, and looked over to his grandfather. Ginrei was covering his mouth politely as he stifled the noise, and looked at his grandson, his eyes still smiling.

"Byakuya, you are quite the spitfire." He let out a few more chuckles. "Very well, very well. You have time yet. See if you cannot choose your bride within the next year, hm? That should be an abundance of time for you to find a pretty girl." Ginrei closed his eyes then, the last of the smile leaving his face.

"And now, about the finances of the manor…"

He really couldn't help it. It was so boring, Byakuya wished he was near a bathroom, maybe he could drown himself in a sink. Or a toilet, perhaps, that might be quicker.

-+-

Byakuya had yet to go back to Rukongai after his run-in with the bandits and the girl, and truth be told, he was a bit wary of going back. It wasn't forbidden to hurt or kill those who threatened your wellbeing while in the Rukon districts…but if anybody found out, it could mean trouble for him and his family's name.

And so, Byakuya consequently found himself walking the gardens of the Seireitei, up sweeping hills and down rocky paths. It was a leisurely walk, and there was nobody to bother him. Quiet, save for the crickets and songbirds that sang sweetly to the dusky sky and the twilit moon.

Soon, there was the perfect spot. Byakuya had a good feeling about this place in particular, and so he sat and closed his eyes, finding a comfortable position to rest in. It never took long for him to find the perfect set for meditation, and soon he didn't even see the outside world anymore.

Instead, he saw a cherry blossom tree. It grew tall and broad, and its delicate pink and white petals looked like they were just about to fall. But of course, that's always how they appeared. It was the same each time he went to visit Senbonzakura, and it was with familiarity that he came up to the beautiful tree.

"Why, Byakuya…how can I help you?"

He touched the tree, not looking behind where the woman's voice had come from.

"Senbonzakura. I need your help."

A swish of robes sounded from where the voice was.

"Oh? What can the great Byakuya Kuchiki _possibly_ need help with? I thought he never needed the help of others."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed. "Sarcasm hardly compliments you, beautiful as you are."

He turned to face the embodiment of his sword. She was…beautiful. Gorgeous. Incredible. There were countless synonyms, but none seemed to really describe the deep pureness that seemed to envelope Senbonzakura's being. Her hair was a light mahogany pink, and she wore many layers and kimonos of red and white, all looking of expensive silks.

The zanpaku-to smiled at Byakuya's remark. "Ah, but I must chide you somehow. It is about your family, yes?"

Byakuya nodded.

"About the bride you must choose?"

He nodded again.

"But you don't want to marry some random woman who won't really love you?"

Another nod.

Senbonzakura threw her hands up in the air. "I've got nothing. Run away, why don't you? That would solve nearly all of your so-called problems. Though I would be curious to see how you would do on the streets…"

Byakuya's jaws clenched. "Thank you so much, you spoiled little brat."

But oh, Byakuya knew what this would do. Senbonzakura's eyes narrowed to slits, and fury made her eyes glow red. "You think you've got it so hard, well now you're really going to find out. I'm not going to help you at _all_ until you can grow up a bit. Then maybe I'll come to a mature, grown _man_'s aid, and we can fight as equals. I refuse to help a sniveling child."

And with that, she disappeared in a whirl of cherry blossoms.

-+-

Byakuya was rudely thrown out of his inner world to find that it was completely dark. Blackness surrounded everything, and even the songbirds had gone back to their nests. A terse growl was emitted from his lips, and he stood abruptly. Tension made Byakuya's body rigid, and anger showed in his face.

"Whoa there, tiger, I'd calm down if I were you. Might blow a gasket or something."

Byakuya bared his teeth. On top of everything that was happening, he didn't need some lowlife telling him to calm down. He rounded on the speaker with words already in his mouth, when he stopped, eyes widening at the revelation of just whom he was about to yell at.

It was that woman from a few days ago, the one who had stolen his money.

"You," he said simply, a glare forming on his face.

"Me," she agreed, smiling happily.

"Just how did you get into the Seireitei? Aren't you Rukon trash?" he asked brashly, trying to get a rise out of this small woman.

"Oh, I didn't 'get in', like sneak. That'd be _way_ too difficult. Nope, instead I was _let_ in. It rhymes, though, so you were close." She was still smiling.

Byakuya studied her for a moment. She was nothing special…she wore a slightly worn down kimono, her hair was short, some of it rested in between her eyes. It kind of stuck out at the ends, making him wonder just what it had been through. He came to rest at her face, which was heart shaped. She had a small nose, and big eyes. It was too dark for Byakuya to discern the color, but he imagined that if they were anything like her personality, they would be quite colorful.

"That doesn't answer my question," he answered, after a moment.

One of the woman's eyes narrowed, and her face turned upward, as if in thought. "Weellll, see, they let people into the Seireitei if they have enough spiritual energy, right? To be trained to be a Soul Reaper. You know? Course you do, you're a Soul Reaper yourself! So anyway…I guess I had enough of it, huh?"

Byakuya was not amused. The tone she used was one that a person might use when explaining something simple to a small child.

"Tell me, woman…what make you think you are strong or smart enough to be a Soul Reaper?" he asked, his tone superior.

"None of your business!" she shouted with a laugh, sticking her tongue out and skipping away.

Byakuya was perplexed. This woman… He decided this woman must be a lunatic.

"Hey!"

He looked back to her, and she was standing at the point of the hill where she almost disappeared into the shadows.

"My name isn't 'woman', it's Hisana. Okay? HI-SA-NA. Don't forget!" And with that, she skipped into the darkness, now hidden from Byakuya's view.

Byakuya sat for a few minutes longer, then shrugged, his anger all but forgotten. "Good thing she gave me a name, or she would have just been the 'Happy Little Crazy Woman' for the rest of time," he muttered to himself.

He couldn't stop the slight smile spreading on his features. She was so spontaneous, it was quite refreshing.

"Hisana, huh…?"

-+-

A/N: WHOA. Sorry that took longer that usual. But yay, Hisana! xD

Thank you to Shikenkino Shio, twilightlvr5, Dakoru, Bluishorbs, Twilight Countess and . awaken . the . dawn . for your support and general warm fuzzy feelings.

xoxo/Revalations


	4. Conclusions

A few months since the altercation with Senbonzakura, Byakuya was definitely feeling the strain of an angry zanpaku-to. Rather, an angry zanpaku-to that was refusing to talk to her wielder. It was quite a distraction, and it was wearing down on Byakuya's patience. He had not convinced her that his apologies were sincere, and thus her refusal to extend her powers to him had the blade being only that- a blade.

Byakuya looked down at the hilt of his sword. He cursed her silently, though he knew that was a bad idea. But he was having a bad week, so he figured he had a little bit of a right to be upset. Everything in the last week or two had been one after another, and not at all pleasant. This was just the cherry on top of it all.

Or it would have been, if this newest assignment given to the Lieutenant of the thirteenth squad hadn't been so awful. Yes, it was the worst thing he could have possibly gotten. He wondered how exactly he had offended Captain Ukitake, because he would have rather fought ten thousand Vasto Lordes all at once than had to go to the academy for the Soul Reapers in-training.

Byakuya set his face in the mask of indifference as he entered the grounds for the academy. His task was not difficult, just to make sure that a group of students visiting the World of the Living got there and back safely. Hardly necessary for a Lieutenant to supervise normally, but lately there had been heightened Hollow activity, and so precautions were being taken that normally would have been absurd.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Kuchiki!" and several other greetings were thrown Byakuya's way, to which he gave cold nods, but never any eye contact. Why should he bother with people so far below him?

He was almost to the meeting place for the group he was to supervise when a shout caught his attention.

"Hey, Lieutenant!"

He turned, almost surprised that somebody would address him in such a way. And just when he thought his day couldn't get any worse…

"You walk very fast when you so wish," the owner of the voice giggled.

It was that girl…Hisana, was it? Whatever her name, Byakuya was half tempted to just turn around and keep walking. The instincts that were drilled into his personality since he was born, however, kept him in his current position.

And so, he gave her a blank stare.

She raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it polite to at least say hello?" she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Only to those who would return such a favor of decency," he said, his stare becoming rather frosty.

Hisana's face morphed into confusion, before she remembered what he was talking about. "Oh, do you mean the money I stole? You mustn't take that very seriously, you certainly weren't the first. It wasn't very much for one on a Lieutenant's salary anyway, is it?" she asked, quirking her lips up.

Byakuya seemed to straighten his already pristine posture. "The quantity matters not, it is the thought and motive behind the action that is important."

Blue eyes looked down, all traces of a smile gone. "I did not mean to make a mockery of theft. I actually came to apologize that I did that to you, but I am not very good at conveying what I am trying to say. However," she said, looking up into Byakuya's eyes, determination the only word to describe what lay in her gaze, "I shall not say that I am sorry I took it. Without it, I would have starved for several more days."

Byakuya was mildly shocked. Rarely did anyone besides his grandfather and Captain Ukitake look him straight in the eyes. Even though she had finished speaking, Hisana's gaze did not drift from his, her perfectly blue eyes staring at him, into him, or perhaps even right through him.

"I…I did not…" he started, eyes wide.

A gentle smile then graced Hisana's features. "All I ask is that you may in time forgive my desperate actions. I fully intend to pay you, and everybody else I took from, back." And then her genuine smile was gone, replaced with something more mischievous. "As for today, however, you are to escort my group to the living world, correct?"

Deep gray eyes blinked. And then a deep exhalation. This girl was too many things at once. Byakuya looked back into her eyes, his perfect mask slipping a bit to show how tired he was.

"You are in the advanced classes?"

She nodded several times. "I guess I've got more of that spiritual energy than we both thought, huh?" She smiled.

"How…in only a few months have you progressed so far?" Byakuya wondered, possibly to himself.

"You mean from street rat to advanced academy student?" Hisana allowed herself some pride, seeing gray eyes shift away from her with sheepishness. "Perhaps we are not all as we might first seem."

Byakuya's eyes trained back to hers at her last statement.

"Perhaps not."

"Students! Is everybody here? Ah, Lieutenant Kuchiki, I'm very glad to see you made it."

The instructor was walking quickly toward the small group that had gathered, his head bald and shining, and oversized square glasses making his eyes appear larger than normal. The students had massed together, excited murmuring buzzing between them.

Byakuya looked to the instructor, then back at Hisana. She was smiling up at him, azure eyes positively sparkling.

"See you later, Lieutenant," she said softly, before turning and merging with the group that had appeared.

"Good, good, everyone. Settle down, be quiet! Okay, everybody, you all know your supervisor, Lieutenant Kuchiki." He gestured vaguely in Byakuya's direction. "Now, do you all remember our lesson on Hell Butterflies? You're going to need it to get through the senkaimon. Everybody prepared?"

Affirmative nods and murmurs of yes ran through the students before silence fell again. Hands grasped the hilts of swords in anticipation, and several individuals were fidgeting, excitement getting the better of them.

Hisana, Byakuya noticed, was quite calm. She stood in a relaxed posture, but her eyes were quite attentive on the instructor. Her blue irises flicked to him, and a small black eyebrow rose as she caught him staring at her. He immediately looked away and moved toward the front, near the instructor.

The bald man had just finished giving last minute instructions on how exactly to use Hell Butterflies. "You shall now enter the World of the Living, students. Remember, only the souls can see you. Do not stray far from the group, stay with your partner, and should you hear or sense a Hollow, notify Lieutenant Kuchiki immediately!"

Byakuya grimaced inside, thinking that he would most definitely sense a Hollow before any of these first timers would.

"Here is the gate," the instructor continued, pointing at the circular door that had appeared. "Good luck! And remember this counts as a part of your grade!"

Byakuya summoned his Hell Butterfly and moved to the gate. He glanced back over his shoulder to the group hesitantly following him, and stepped through.

-+-

The group of students and Byakuya had been in the living world for nearly a half hour. And while the heir to the Kuchiki clan corrected konsos and pretended to be scouting out danger, he would glance over to where Hisana and her partner were.

"Hi-sa-na! That was perfect! You're gonna be a captain before you know it!"

The hyper blonde woman with an abnormally large chest was jumping up and down, in apparent awe of Hisana's recently performed konso. Her hands clasped together before she grabbed Hisana around the middle and spun her about.

"Ra-ran--!" Hisana tried to gasp breath in, with little success. She grabbed ahold of her friend's arms and forced herself out of her embrace, only to crumple to the ground and worship the air she could now breathe.

"Please, Rangiku, focus on the task at hand," Hisana said, pouting to the best of her ability. "You have yet to even perform a konso."

Rangiku frowned. "I'll get to it…just give me some time."

Hisana rolled her blue eyes up to the sky, a small smile on her face. "Why do I put up with you…?"

Byakuya had been watching their interactions so intently that he didn't notice when Rangiku had looked over and caught him staring. She quickly got Hisana's attention and pointed, and only when she had started turning his way did Byakuya have the sense to turn himself.

Luckily they were on the roof of a tall building, Byakuya on one of the corners, so when he turned out toward the city, his blush went unnoticed by any that may have been watching.

However, when his attention _did _go out to what he was seeing, he sensed an abnormality. Smoke, or perhaps dust was collecting in the air, not very far from where the group was currently practicing. Byakuya closed his eyes and concentrated on the source, hoping it was a mere human error.

A scream sliced through the air, making the hairs on the back of every student's neck stand up. The laughter had stopped, and eyes that opened wide in fright were now facing Byakuya, whose sword was now brandished.

Without turning his head, he addressed the students. "Do not panic, it is only a lower Hollow. However, precautions must be made, and I fear I do not have the time to open another senkaimon for you before it gets here. Have any of you learned how to make the gate?"

"Ye-yes, sir," one boy volunteered. "We know the theory behind it."

"Then please do so. I will defeat the Hollow while you all get back to the Soul Society."

"Yes, sir!" came a chorus of shouts.

Byakuya looked back to the group effort of making the gate to the Seireitei. He deliberately looked away from the pair of eyes still watching him, knowing that a distraction now could cost him lives, even if it was only a lower-ranked Hollow.

The piercing scream came again, this time much closer. Byakuya was about to jump to the next building when it appeared right in front of him. Refusing to be surprised, he jumped up to attack it from behind, but it dodged.

_Fast…almost too fast... _Byakuya thought, landing between the students and the Hollow.

He ignored the delayed screams of his charges, and planted his feet on the roof of the building. He raised his sword out in front of him, preparing to release the power of his shikai to this monster.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

Nothing happened. Byakuya's gray eyes widened in the split second he had, remembering the status of his sword, before it was knocked from his hands.

Byakuya was so shocked that he didn't see that the Hollow was on the move again.

"No!" A shrill cry, almost as fearsome as the Hollow's itself, registered in the now sword-less Byakuya's consciousness.

He was knocked to his knees as something hit him, but the cry of pain that was uttered was not from his lips. Byakuya looked up, shocked, at the bloody front of Hisana's Academy robes.

The hollow's teeth were clamped down on her sides, its head appearing sideways to the people watching.

"Augh-uh-unh--!" Hisana grunted, her arms staying straight, keeping her and Byakuya at least her arm's length away. But her hands, which had twisted themselves into the front of his robes, were convulsing in obvious pain.

"Hisana!" came a shriek, bringing him back to reality.

Without further hesitation, Byakuya summoned his sword back to him, and it burst into a thousand cherry blossoms. Within seconds, the Hollow was gone, and Hisana started to fall.

Byakuya's arms reached out to catch her, then pulled her close to himself, and lifted them both until he was back on his feet.

The students were all frozen, fright and awe apparent on each face.

"Have you made the senkaimon operational yet?" Byakuya asked, an undertone of commandment in his voice.

"Almost, s-sir," one of the students started.

"Good. Make it fast."

After that, Byakuya would pay them no more attention until they said the senkaimon was complete. He looked down to the still semi-conscious Hisana. Her skin had a layer of sweat, and blood had made most of her white uniform match the red stripes on the sides. Her shocking blue eyes were now closed tightly while her jaw was clenched as well.

Her hands kept grasping Byakuya's robes.

"Hisana…Hisana, can you hear me?" he asked quietly, so none of the bustling students would hear.

She moaned in response, one of her eyes opening slightly to acknowledge him to the best of her ability.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, hanging his head so that his hair all but covered Hisana's face.

"Maybe…" she started, whispering, "maybe you need some…pr-practice…too…Lieutenant…" She managed a weak smile, but it was ruined by the blood that had started leaking out of the corner of her mouth.

"Sir! The senkaimon is complete!"

Byakuya drew his head back up, and walked quickly towards the gate. His goal was now to get Hisana, the girl who had gotten hurt because of his stupidity, to the Fourth Squad as soon as was physically possible.

-+-

As soon as, or perhaps before, Byakuya's feet had touched the ground of the Seireitei, he had carefully gathered Hisana higher up into his arms, and made a quick shun-po to the Fourth Division's entryway.

The nurse on duty gave a wide-eyed look before immediately ushering Byakuya to a room, calling for help along the way.

"What's happened to her?" the nurse asked as Byakuya set Hisana down onto the table.

"She was…attacked. By a Hollow," he said quietly.

"Oh dear…oh no…" the woman muttered, now ignoring Byakuya and putting her full attention onto Hisana's wounds.

She pulled the robe off, surprising Byakuya, making him turn away for her modesty. However, before he turned, he saw the gaping wounds, glistening bones and torn muscles that dirtied Hisana's body. He was disgusted, not only by the wounds, but by himself.

"Hisana," he whispered.

Without another thought, he turned and fled the small room that was quickly becoming crowded with healers and doctors.

Byakuya soon found himself back at his estate, in the vast gardens and tall grasses. While he would usually have a leisurely gait, it was instead fast and uneven. Whether any servants noticed or not, Byakuya didn't know or care. He was trying to find somewhere, anywhere, to sit quietly and think upon his actions and the consequences that may have come with them.

In a few minutes' time, he found a deserted enough spot. He thought without really noticing that if he were to lay down, the tall blades and flowers of the grass would shield his presence quite nicely. Mindlessly, Byakuya got on his back, on top of the warm dirt, and stared up into the clouds.

"How careless of me. How utterly clueless I am. I am too arrogant, too confident. How could I possibly aspire for the title of Captain, if I cannot even protect students? If I must rely on an inexperienced, young, beautiful girl…"

That was a thought-stopper. Byakuya resisted the sudden urge to sit straight up, though his eyes did widen as far as they could. What did he just say…?

"I am sure I did not…it slipped out. It is nothing, I am sure…"

His eyes closed. In his mind he saw Hisana's face, her bright blue eyes, her gentle smile and soft lips…

"No, I mustn't!" he muttered a little louder than he had been before. "She is Rukon filth, she is not nobility…" _If I form an attachment, it would end badly for me, if not both of us…_

Gray eyes looked miserably into the clouds, despair their only emotion. _But I want to._

"I cannot…I cannot…" he repeated to himself, and anybody who hadn't known better would swear that it sounded as if the young Kuchiki heir was close to tears.

And then silence reigned, and it stayed for a great long while. The sun was on its way down, dusk laying its intruding touch the edges of the sky. During all of that time, Byakuya thought on his next course of actions, and was debating within himself.

For the first time in Byakuya Kuchiki's life, his personal desires strayed from his family's.

_I do not even know her that well…I doubt if she would be taken with me, anyway… _And then a thought occurred to him. _Regardless of my personal wants, I must see her. To apologize for my actions…for her injuries. It is the right thing to do._

"I must see her," Byakuya said softly to himself, eyes narrowing slightly in determination.

"You know…speaking to oneself is the first sign of insanity, Byakuya."

Byakuya jumped, sitting straight up. Once in this position, out of the corner of his eye, he caught the fluttering edge of a Captain's haori.

"Grandfather," Byakuya gasped. "How long have you been standing there?"

Ginrei closed his eyes. "Long enough, young one. I see you have some problems to struggle through."

Byakuya sighed, eyes closing as he fell back to the ground, once again gazing upon the clouds.

"Forgive me, grandfather, for I am a fool."

A/N: Yeah, so…stuff happens…that makes me not update for weeks…my deepest apologies, really, I was so excited to update this.

Thank you to sky, . awaken . the . dawn ., EienSuzume, StormyShadows, Twilight Countess and SummerSarah for your interest and little bits of awesome-ness.

xoxo/Revalations


	5. Decisions

Ginrei Kuchiki had said nothing more, and left without his grandson's notice. Byakuya lay on the ground for several minutes more, before gathering his resolve and starting for the Fourth Division.

He decided to walk, as to not speed his looming conversation with Hisana…that was going to be awkward enough. Somewhere in the back of his head, the thought that he should be making a report about what happened came up, but he paid it no mind. He was caught up with how to apologize. He had never really had to do such a thing before, except perhaps to his grandfather…

In too short a time, Byakuya stood outside the Fourth Division's large building, and steeled himself before walking up the steps and through the main doors.

It was relatively quiet, a rarity for the usual hustle and bustle of the hospital. Byakuya closed his eyes, taking another breath before walking up to the desk with a female receptionist behind it.

She looked up, then smiled when she saw who was walking toward her.

"Lieutenant Kuchiki! What can I help you with so late at night…?"

Byakuya almost winced when he thought of the time. "I'm sorry, I need to see somebody…an Academy student that was admitted, with the name Hisana?"

"Hmmmm…" she noised, shuffling through papers. "Aha! Here she is, room 265. Would you like me to escort you…?" The nurse asked, looking quite hopeful.

"No, that is not necessary… however, could you tell me which hallway that room is in?"

Looking slightly disappointed (but still smiling), the receptionist pointed down the hall to the right.

"Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you," she giggled, giving Byakuya a wink.

The Kuchiki heir had to restrain the urge to roll his eyes, and instead inclined his head slightly in thanks, while moving toward the hallway the nurse had pointed to.

_257…261…265. There's the room the nurse said…_

Byakuya reached a hand for the door and slid it open, stepping quietly through. His eyes took a few moments to adjust to the darkness of the room, but quickly found the figure that lay on the bed. She was so small, it was almost difficult for him to just look at her, imagining her pain.

Silently, he went over to her bedside and saw the bandages that encased her torso, all the way up to her neck. This time Byakuya _did_ wince, his eyes narrowing slightly in shame.

He knelt next her bed, taking one of her hands. Suddenly, the apology wasn't evading him anymore.

"I'm sorry, Hisana…I'm so sorry. You got hurt because of my stupidity…and it looks worse than I first thought. I cannot even imagine the pain you went through. Please, Hisana, I'll do anything to make it better…" he whispered, the last part almost difficult to hear, it was so quiet.

His eyes were closed, and he had pulled her hand up to his face as he hung his head. The small, cold hand he grasped flexed slightly, then squeezed his own hands back.

"Silly Lieutenant…you think you're to blame…" she laughed softly, her eyes still closed. The laugh turned to coughs, however, and her face screwed up in pain.

"Ahh…hollows are strong," she complained. Her eyes were still squinted, but her lips were turned upward slightly.

"Hisana…" Byakuya was frowning, but his relief that she could still smile shone through his eyes. "Please don't speak. Save your strength to get better."

Hisana opened her eyes, and a calm smile settled over her face. "Don't worry about me, Lieutenant. I'll be fine, according to the nurses. In only a few days, actually. Then it'll only be scratches and bruises, so it's okay…"

She pulled her hand out from between Byakuya's and reached up to graze her fingers along his cheek bone. His eyes closed, and shuddered breath escaped his lips.

"See? It's okay."

Gray eyes opened to see her gentle smile still in place, but her eyes were closed. Her fingers moved slowly, comfortingly, tracing the lines of his face, down his jaw line, to his throat…

Byakuya's hand moved, seemingly of its own accord, grabbing her hand by the wrist, and he moved slowly down, until he was kissing her.

A soft noise came from Hisana, but it wasn't in protest. In fact, it sounded like quite the opposite to Byakuya, so he continued, stopping once only to resituate onto the side of the bed she lay on.

His arms cautiously went underneath her, minding the still bleeding sores on her sides. He held her as closely as he could without causing her more pain, but it wasn't enough for him…he wanted more, so much more.

His mind was slowly winding away from the current situation, forgetting that she was still severely injured. Hisana let out a pained cry into their kiss when he tried lifting her further, and immediately Byakuya was back in his right mind.

As quickly as he could, he detangled himself from her, and stood.

"I…I'm sorry, I didn't…"

Her eyes hadn't yet opened, but she was in pain. He started beating himself up inside again, knowing nothing else to do but to leave quickly.

As he turned, getting ready to make his escape, Hisana's hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

"Don't leave…please don't go," she said, gasping for air through the pain.

Byakuya didn't turn around. "It's…best if I'm not here. It seems nothing but misfortune befalls you when I am involved."

Hisana's eyes widened, her eyebrows quirking into a sad expression. "That's not true. You saved me from those bandits…you made me happy when you came to visit just now…and you've made me fall in love, I think."

Byakuya stiffened.

"So what if I got attacked by a Hollow? It would have happened some other time. Just because you were in charge doesn't mean it's your fault."

"Yes…it does," Byakuya said quietly.

Hisana sighed, letting go of his arm and trying to blow the hair out of her face. Her blue eyes looked up to the ceiling.

"Fine, believe what you will. But answer me one question before you go, please."

Byakuya turned to face her again, looking at her blushing face.

Still refusing to look him in the face in embarrassment, she asked, "Just now…when you kissed me…what did that mean to you?"

Byakuya averted his eyes now as well, a blush gracing his features. "I…think, Hisana…that I have grown to like you. Very much. Past the point I should. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have…"

Hisana looked in his direction and cut him off. "You mean it? You didn't just do it as a pity thing for me? Or because you want to make yourself feel better?"

"No. I did it because you're very important to me now…and because I wanted you to know how I feel." Byakuya's face was flushed so thoroughly flushed, it looked like he had a sunburn.

His gaze darted to her face when he heard her giggle.

A gray eye twitched. "What? What's so funny? It took a lot for me to admit that!"

Hisana kept giggling through her words. "I know…your face! I don't think I'll ever see your face that red again!"

Byakuya was felt his pride get smaller, and started getting defensive. "Well then, I'll take it all back and pretend I didn't even come here," he said coolly, standing back up to his full height and crossing his arms, his chin lifted and gaze directed at the wall.

Hisana's giggles stopped rather abruptly, as she looked at Byakuya's profile, trying to ascertain if he was being serious or not.

His eye looked to the side at her, then back at the wall. And in that moment, Hisana's face split into the biggest grin she could manage, as she realized Byakuya was teasing her. He let out a soft laugh as he moved back toward her, relaxing once again.

Their hands sought each other, and held tightly.

"…What now, Lieutenant? How do we make this work?" Hisana asked, her smiles gone, but an air of comfort still filled the air.

"I'm not sure. My family will not approve because you are not nobility. They will do everything in their power to keep us apart," Byakuya said heavily.

Hisana moved onto her side carefully, avoiding the places that were still hurt. She looked into Byakuya's gaze, waiting for him to finish.

"But…I do not care. I will be head of the family soon. And they cannot oppose me after that. I must only find a way to marry _after_ I am named Head of the Kuchiki clan." His brow furrowed in thought.

Hisana put both of her hands on his, and brought his gaze back to hers. "I have faith in you, Byakuya."

His eyes softened at the sound of his name coming from her lips.

"How did I live without you, Hisana?" he murmured before his mouth was otherwise occupied.

-+-

A/N: Kinda short, I know, but it felt right to end it there.

So, I have a few things to talk about!

I know this happened a long time ago, but "Kuchiki H." turned into "Hisana K." Yay, Hisana is finally getting more attention!!!

I watched episode 61, I think? Maybe 62. Anyway, I watched it in English for the first time. It's the one where Hisana dies, sad! D': Anyway, why the hell does she sound like a 90 year old man who chain smoked 8 boxes a day since he was born?! That's messed up!

I also just watched one of the latest episodes of Bleach subbed in English, 230. And it shows all the zanpaku-to, all that jazz, it's exciting! ANYWAY (I get off track easily), Senbonzakura is ugly. I'm sorry, I hate it. And so I'm keeping in my mind (and in this story) the picture I've always had, some rich Japanese woman with lots of expensive kimonos and long flowy hair with pretty combs and other shiny things. NOT some big samurai warrior guy.

And that's it for this long A/N, sorry, heheh.

Thanks to Bluishorbs, AwakenTheDawn, SummerSarah, and Misorano for your nice words and happy thoughts.

xoxo/Revalations


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